Sinful Things Book 1: Craving Sin by Riley Hart

 

Sinful Things Book 1

Rian

As head of the O’Shea family, I don’t make mistakes.

I certainly don’t become obsessed with a guy. Stalk him. And then proceed to kidnap him to a secluded cabin when an attempt on my life is made.

But that’s exactly what I did.

While my family hunts down the men who tried to kill me, Doctor Preston Abbott is trapped with me, and I expect him to nurse me back to health before paying the ultimate sacrifice. Abbott…who is also the governor’s son.

Each day my interest in him grows. He cares for me, shares parts of his life with me, willingly gives his body to me and begs for more…even though he knows he’ll die by my hand.

I never thought I would want someone again this way, that I would crave another person the way I do Abbott. He’s too good for the violence of my world, and all the sinful things I revel in. I’m a monster but he’s mine until the end.

Mine to crave…mine to touch…mine to kill…

Craving Sin contains MCs dealing with grief, violence, darker themes, and morally gray characters with no redemption arc. This is still a Riley Hart romance, so you can expect a happily ever after for our guys.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/252732477-craving-sin

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

A great start to this new series! This is a spin off to Sins of the Father. Now actually the stories of some of the dads we’ve seen in that series. The book starts with Rian. Rian is currently the head of the O’Shea family. He has been drowning in his grief for too long. He lost his wife nine years ago and left his son alone so Rian could deal with his own grief. He wasn’t the best father he could have been and he has been doing what he can to change it now. But he never expects to feel that love for someone again. Because that same instinct gut feeling when he met his wife? He feels it again. For a man. Abbott. A doctor and later he learns, the governor’s son. All Rian wants is to see Abbott again to see if it was a fluke. It wasn’t. And what makes matters worse? The two of them are shot at in the process. Rian gets hurts and essentially kidnaps Abbott to take care of him and maybe even to protect him. But he made a mistake. Dragging Abbott along is a death sentence. He can’t live knowing Rian and what Rian does. So what is he going to do? Oof! These two!! Absolutely loved them and their story. Despite the impossible situation they find themselves in, they still manage to fall so hard for one another. Abbott is exactly what Rian needs and vice versa. Abbott needs a family and someone who cares about him and there is no one better than Rian for that. They both deserve a lot of happiness after what they’ve been through in life. I just loved getting to know them. And their story is just the beginning of something big going down. There are other players on the board set out to hurt the O’Shea family. And I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Comebacks Book 3: King of the Crease by AJ Truman

 

The Comebacks Book 3

Hank's new teammate is a secret prince. Red, white, and royal WTF?!

Crown Prince Nicholas of Ardenia has everything—except the freedom to be himself. Trapped by tradition and suffocating expectations, he secretly longs for a simple life…one where he can make real friends, chase real passions, and maybe even fall in love. So when a diplomatic trip to the U.S. offers him a rare chance to slip away from his royal identity, he seizes it. Disguised as just another guy, he spends December in a cozy small town and signs on as the local beer league’s backup goalie.

Hank, the team’s main goalie, is a charming, big-hearted plumber still piecing together his confidence after a brutal divorce. He’s spent most of his life playing the comic relief, never the romantic lead—but something about the shy newcomer on the ice makes him wonder if he might deserve a happily ever after after all. As Hank teaches Nicholas the finer points of goaltending, their easy camaraderie deepens into crackling chemistry, with more than a few stolen moments under the mistletoe.

But Nicholas’s growing feelings come with a painful he can’t stay hidden forever. Will the crown cost him his shot at true love?

KING OF THE CREASE is a warm, funny, and swoony holiday MM romance featuring secret royalty, teammates-to-lovers magic, and lots of Christmas charm. It’s book 3 in the Comebacks series but can be read as a standalone.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245210105-king-of-the-crease

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

Being the prince of a small country is not an easy life. Nick has spent his life following the rules and never truly being himself. He’s tired. He’s lonely. And he needs a desperate break. So when his friend Millie tells him to stay with her and her family for the holiday season, he finds himself agreeing. He’ll spend the next few weeks pretending to be normal. For once, he can just be Nick. He just never expects to fall in love. Hank is used to never being the main character of someone’s story. Always the comic relief. His divorce years ago may have been messy, but he is so past it and made sure to be the best dad he can be to his son. He is the sweetest guy and when he meets Nick, he doesn’t hesitate to invite him to play with his hockey team. The chemistry between them is insane from the moment they meet and it doesn’t take long for them act on it. But Nick knows it is only a matter of time until he must reveal the truth to Hank about who he is. He can only hope that Hank won’t hate him for it. These two were so adorable! They were perfect for one another. Being truly themselves with one another with zero regrets. Minus the hidden true identity of Nick, but for once Nick could be himself without hiding such important parts of himself for the sake of duty. This was sweet and funny and a perfect holiday romance!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Psy-Changeling Trinity Book 10: Cold Redemption by Nalini Singh

 

Psy-Changeling Trinity Book 10

Amara Aleine was born emotionless. A scientist with a piercing, cold intellect, the only person who matters to her is her identical twin. Some term her a psychopath. They might be right.

Pax Marshall is the epitome of Psy perfection. Raised by his ruthless grandfather, he was never permitted to be anything less. But Scarab Syndrome has ravaged his mind, until he’s now mere weeks away from total psychic collapse, insanity…and death. Any cure will come too late for him, but he is determined to spend his last weeks fighting for the rest of the afflicted.

Amara has never seen a mind as clean, as orderly, as beautiful, as Pax Marshall’s. Patient Zero. A twin just like her. And a man so cold-blooded that everyone warns her about him—when she is used to being the predator in the room.

As they work together in a hunt for the cure, Pax’s enemies deliver a violent strike. The choice Amara makes as Pax struggles to survive will have consequences far beyond anything Amara or Pax could have ever imagined.

This time, Amara might just have played herself…

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/249223254-cold-redemption

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

Every time I pick up a new book in this series, I am reminded how much I absolutely love it and why it remains one of my favorites. We return to this world and it’s Amara’s story! I never imagined we would get Amara’s story. We met her in the early days of this series before Trinity and I gotta say what a change it has been. Amara has grown so much in this series and in this book specifically. I loved getting to know her and to see just how much she has changed. And for her to fall for Pax? Wow! I adored these two. So, we find Amara and Pax at the center of the Scarab issue. With Pax being Patient Zero. Pax knows he is running out of time. But his twin won’t give up on him. Not after they were finally reunited. And Pax won’t give up yet either but they need some major help. And who better to tackle the impossible task than Amara and her own twin? With Amara taking point, she is always up for a challenge. She just never imagined it becoming so personal. Pax understands her more than any, including her twin, has ever understood her. His mind is beautiful and she finds him interesting, when so little holds her attention. And after so much time around E’s and the work they have done with her? She may just be in a position to fall for someone. Not that she would call it that just yet. And for Pax, his connection to Amara is one he has never felt with anyone. And the more they work together, the more he feels. He won’t let go. Not yet. But can they solve this puzzle before his time is up? Loved it. We get so many familiar faces in this story. And like I said, I was so intrigued to see Amara get a book and it was absolutely perfect for her. Another amazing book in this series. And I cannot not wait to see what is coming next!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Pine Ridge Book 1: The Hitman’s Final Job by Ana Ashley

 

Pine Ridge Book 1

Have you ever met a hitman who dreams of having a veggie patch?

It's me. I'm the hitman.

It's the day before I retire from ten years of killing people for hire. Not only am I given one last job- wasn't that job in Budapest last month THE last job?- but then I find out I'm tasked with killing my best friend's dad.

Did I mention he's a total silver fox, the smartest man I've ever met and my all-time crush?

Yeah...life sucks.

Now I have to figure out who hired me so I can stop them. But keeping Vaughn safe while trying not to fall in love with him is a threat I didn't expect to face.

The Hitman's Final Job is a small-town romance featuring suspense, heat, and the sweetness of two men finding real love amongst danger. You can expect slow-burn tension, emotional depth, unexpected humor—including a surprisingly heated giant vegetable competition—and the kind of love that makes you want to stop running.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/246493670-the-hitman-s-final-job

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

So happy to be back in Pine Ridge! I’ve been looking forward to this new series and this first book didn’t disappoint! For the last ten years, Silas has been a hitman for a secret government agency. But ten years is a long time to take out some pretty bad people. He wants to be done. But he is forced to take one more job first. The problem? The hit is on his best friend’s father, Vaughn. Also the man that Silas has been secretly in love with for years now. But has never made a move for the fear of losing his best friend, Rowan. Silas knows Vaughn. He knows the work he does. And there is no way that Vaughn can be the bad guy in this scenario. And lucky for Silas, his partner listens to him when he says they need to learn more about who made this request. So in the meantime, Silas will have to follow Vaughn home to Pine Ridge to keep him safe. Vaughn is surprised to find Silas at his doorstep after crossing paths in Europe only a few days before. And when Silas says he would like to stay for several weeks, he has some mixed feelings. Happy but at the same time, he knows how hard it will be to be in Silas’s vicinity. Because Silas isn’t the only one with feelings. They may address the elephant in the room about their feelings and how they can’t cross any lines, but it’s only a matter of time before the pull between them becomes impossible to resist. Also, Vaughn has been keeping his own secrets. Ones where someone has been threatening him and his work. And it’s only a matter of time until all is revealed! I loved this story!! It was just so good. A great new town with awesome characters to explore. And I just adored Vaughn and Silas. They fit together in so many ways despite the little over ten years age gap between them. The age thing isn’t a big deal to them. Their biggest concern is Rowan and the fear of losing him. But they also are just clearly meant to be. A great way to kick off this series! And I’m so excited to see what happens in book two!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Assistant to the Villain Book 4: Adversary to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

 

Assistant to the Villain Book 4

HR Update: The position of “adversary to the villain” has been filled. Evie Sage does not recall applying.

Evie has always tried to be helpful, loyal, and only mildly involved in treason. But with a dangerous prophecy threatening the very magic of Rennedawn—not to mention the race to claim its necessary artifacts before King Benedict does—things are starting to feel…less like a career path and more like a serious problem.

The prophecy won’t stop pointing in Evie’s direction. The Villain’s magic keeps choosing her. And honestly, if you’re going to be accused of evil anyway, you might as well commit.

Unfortunately, the more Evie leans into her alleged villain era, the more her boss starts acting like the hero of a completely different story. Trystan is getting closer—closer than is wise, advisable, or even remotely professional—and looking at her like she’s already chosen a side. His.

Which is deeply inconvenient, because if Evie can’t save the kingdom’s magic, she might just become its greatest threat.

The hilarious fantasy romance series doesn't end at Adversary to the Villain! The thrilling conclusion to the series is coming soon!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220864544-adversary-to-the-villain

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

Okay so I panicked and thought this was the final book in the series to which I was like HOW. That would be terrible! Finally saw it was NOT. So thank god for that LOL. Cause that changes my original thoughts. So a lot was revealed at the end of third book and everyone is dealing with those revelations in different ways. But despite all that, they still know they need to stop Benedict and fulfill the prophecy. More revelations, more twists and turns. And of course, as usual expect a lot of laughs with this group. Because the humor is definitely still there! And that ending? Again, for someone who thought that was the end, cue the panic! But it is not. So now I can look at it like well that is insane and I can’t wait to discover how they fix it LOL. Because I was definitely loving how this book and series was going.

Van Doren Book 9: Rhodes by Crea Reitan

 

Van Doren Book 9

Every high school has a bully who has gone unpunished.

Walking the halls of my high school after two decades reminds me why I’ve blocked those years from my memory. The walls hold secrets but perhaps none as potent as the woods behind the school where a life ended too soon.

I wasn’t able to make a difference then. But I’m not a frightened kid anymore. Bullies no longer scare me. It’s time to deliver long overdue consequences to those who have never been held accountable for their actions.

With my pack of wolf dogs and this blindingly bright fake boyfriend at my side, nothing can go wrong.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/253672236-rhodes

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My Review: 5/5 Stars

I first read Rhodes story in a Heart2Heart Anthology. I was so happy to revisit his story again, but this time it was longer and few changes. Worth to read again if you already saw it! Rhodes and Bennett and of course their pack of wolves are just the best. For those reading it for the first time. Here is what is going on: When Rhodes needs a date to get him through a weekend at his old private high school for a reunion, he turns to Heart2Heart. That’s where he meets Bennett. Bennett is a total surprise for Rhodes. They just fit together and the fact that Bennett is un-phased by the fact that Rhodes has several very large wolves that he has trained and keeps with him at all time? Even more wow. Bennett adores Rhodes and his wolves and is glad he can be there for Rhodes during a weekend that is clearly hard for him since his high school was not one he liked. And when their weekend is over, well, they’ll have to decide if they are ready to let one another go. If you know the VanDorens, you know what to expect with Rhodes when it’s time to get into a little mischief. And of course, righting some wrongs with some bad people. And while these two may be opposite in some ways, they are plenty a like in others. A great way to expand and give us more of these two! Loved it!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Isle of Kala Book 2: One Breath by Crea Reitan

 

Isle of Kala Book 2

Every note of longing tastes like Cash.

Falling in love with my best friend’s little brother is the biggest mistake I could possibly make. But Cash Ellis has hypnotized me since we were children. Every song I write is a love letter. A plea. Lamenting what can never be. 

As my best friend gets angrier and more unrecognizable with each setting sun, I find that I’m taking solace in Cash’s company. I shouldn’t. It’ll prove my undoing. It’s only a matter of time before my one-time best friend finds out.

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This is a LGBTQIA+ story with content not intended for those under 18 years of age due to graphic scenes and situations.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/253671443-one-breath

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My Review: 4/5 Stars

It is finally Cash and Onyx’s turn! We’ve seen hints of them plenty in this world, but we have yet to see how they got together. I was very excited for this one and it didn’t let me down. Onyx has had feelings for Cash for a long time. Cash is his muse when it comes to his song writing and he just has always cared for him. Probably even loved. But falling in love with his best friend’s brother? Not a good idea. Not when said best friend has changed a lot. Benson is no longer the guy he became friends with. He is toxic and angry and is always taking it out on those around him. Especially Cash. So Onyx has done what he can to protect Cash, even if that means not being with him the way he wants. He also just has a tiny bit of hope that his best friend is still in there. But things are about to change. Onyx finally gives in to his feelings for Cash and turns out, Cash has had some for a while as well. Cash has always liked Onyx but knows that nothing can happen. Not with Benson being the way he is now. Doesn’t stop them from shifting their friendship into more though. But it’s only a matter of time until things change again. But will they be together when it does? Crazy story! We got hints in the last book, but it was nice to get Onyx and Cash’s points of view. To see exactly how they’ve been feeling and going through. They come out of this story so much stronger once they realize just how much they love one another. So glad to see them get the happy ending they deserve! A great story all around!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.